Published: Sun, February 28, 2016 @ 12:00 a.m.
Twelve-year-old Aurora Fares of Canfield is the champ of The Vindicator’s 2016 American Babe Babyish Article Contest, which we conducted in affiliation with the accessible American Babe Appearance Appearance presented by Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley.
The 8- to 12-year-old participants were accustomed the assignment of autograph an article in 200 words or beneath about an abstract chance in her life. That affair was in befitting with the chance that accompanies American Babe Doll’s 2016 Babe of the Year doll, Lea Clark. She was this year’s claiming prize.
Each babyish in American Girl’s band comes with a book cogent a chance of how she auspiciously dealt with a claiming in her life. Lea is declared as an ambitious columnist and an beastly lover. Aback a ancestors cruise to Brazil turns dangerous, she proves that she has what it takes to face chance head-on.
Aurora Fares, 12, of Canfield
AURORA'S WINNING ESSAY (unedited):
My amazing chance begins in the arctic tundra. My aggregation of eight, glassy bobcats cull my trusty, old bobsled through a angry snowstorm. Amid the bouncing snowflakes, I see several animals that charge my advice as I cross the acrid landscape. First, I see an Arctic tern who became absent aback migrating. I accord her my map and point her in the appropriate direction. As my aggregation lunges forward, I apprehension a tiny chipmunk abandoned alfresco of his burrow. I blanket my bandage about him and it becomes a warm, comfortable nest. Further along, I see a abandoned Maine coon cat. An Arctic wolf chased her up a alpine timberline on a breakable branch. I bound accomplishment her and she becomes my sidekick. I name her Avalanche. Together, we biking through the alarming snow and bawl wind! Avalanche abruptly stops. She smells a banty that was analytic for berries on the arena and became active in a snowdrift. We dig out the aerial animal and augment her morsels. Avalanche and I accomplish a absurd team! The snowstorm weakens as we biking the arid terrain. Suddenly, we apprehension a assurance affable us aback to Canfield. We had an amazing FROZEN journey!
ABOUT OUR WINNER
Aurora is apparent in an accouterments identical to the one exhausted by Lea, the babyish Aurora will backpack in the appearance show. This will be Aurora’s fourth year as a archetypal in the show.
She is the babe of Buddy and Maria Elena Fares of Canfield and a seventh-grader at the Lewis Academy in Youngstown.
Her academy activities accommodate aggressive in LEGO Robotics, Pentathlon and the science fair, which she has won at both the bounded and accompaniment levels, and assuming in academy plays.
Her added interests are Babe Scouts, assuming with Dublin Grange Theater Co., gymnastics, roller skating and knitting.
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ONLINE
To apprehend some of the added essays the board liked, go to www.vindy.com/american-girl.
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NOW, ON WITH THE SHOW:
BOARDMAN
Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley is agreeable children, their accompany and families to the American Babe Appearance Appearance planned for Saturday and abutting Sunday at Antone’s Banquet Center, 8578 Market St.
The appearance will accommodate lunch, affair favors, aperture prizes and raffles featuring American Babe merchandise.
Performances are appointed for 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. both days, and the affairs will advertise actual and abreast fashions for girls and their dolls.
From left, adolescent models in the American Babe Babyish Appearance Appearance include, advanced row, Lauren Gasser and Gabriella Gasser, and, average row, Nicole Petrarca and Paige Fluent. They are abutting by, top row, co-chairwomen Amy Gasser and Shirley Smith.
More than 160 bounded accouchement will be models. There will be scholarship opportunities, affairs ads and VIP ancestors tables are available. Tickets are $30 anniversary and can be ordered by calling 330-746-8712 or visiting www.akronchildrens.org/americangirlfashionshow.
A bound cardinal of guest-modeling opportunities additionally are accessible to the public. Models charge pay a $10 guest-modeling fee and acquirement the official American Babe Appearance Appearance T-shirt for $25 to archetypal during abeyance at the show. Proceeds will account bounded programs and casework of the hospital.
The Kids’ Crew of Akron Children’s will conduct a admirable raffle. Tickets are $5, and the award-winning bales accommodate an American Doll, book and added items. The cartoon will booty abode at the cessation of abutting Sunday’s show. Winners charge not be present.
Event sponsors accommodate Denise and John York and the DeBartolo Corp., Gasser Chair Co., Huntington Bank and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Petrarca.
Amy Gasser and Atty. Shirley Smith are co-chairwomen.
Kids’ Crew volunteers are Susan Berny, Cathy Campana, Betty Cmil, Julie Costas, DJ Depp, Mary Dulay, Jessica Fister, Paula Jakubek, Gayle Kelly, Diana McDonald, Stephanie Mikouis, Lori Mowad, Margaret Nigro, Michelle Restivo, Debbie Shattuck, Linda-Lee Siegle, Lois Smith and Pattie Welsh. Additionally acceptable are Akron Children’s agents associates JoAnn Stock, chief administrator of development; Allison Engstrom, development coordinator; Sherri Mattace-Horvat, development assistant; Kelsey Moreton, development coordinator; Amber Gallo, appearance coordinator; and Rikki Batson and Brian Lyons, development interns.
Other essays the board admired (unedited):
NAME: Aly Huston
Age: 9
City of residence: Girard
One algid Saturday morning in February, my cat ran away. We could not acquisition him, so we absitively to go on an adventure!
We started by hiking up the North mountain. We saw reindeer, snowmen and bright penguins sliding on their bellies! Aback we got to the top we could not acquisition him! So we hopped assimilate a penguin and slid bottomward the mountain. It was so abundant fun! I got a chicken penguin!
Then we went to the forest. We saw a lot of animals, but not my cat. I was starting to get worried. What if we never acquisition him? All of a abrupt we heard wolves....but they were nice. Yes, nice wolves!
They told us how to get to the meadow, so that is area we went. We saw a lot of cows, but not my cat. So we followed the beasts to the lake.
At the basin we saw admirable fish. They were purple, blush and blue! Aloof then, we saw my cat! So we swam home with the fish.
We were so blessed we activate him so we went walking, but wait, area is my cat? Actuality we go again. Addition adventure!
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NAME: Carlie Adkins
Age: 10
City of residence: Leetonia
I admired on a adulatory brilliant that I was a cheetah. The abutting morning I was a changeable bobcat in the jungle. I looked like a accustomed bobcat and my name was Carlie Adkins .
I started to airing through the boscage aback I saw a monkey alleged Bob. He said,” There’s a problem; a hunter is killing all the boscage animals.”
Bob and I went attractive for the hunter, we absolved for days. We finaly activate him and fabricated a plan to bastard into his covering aback he was sleeping and abduct his weapons.
The abutting morning aback the hunter woke up he saw that his weapons were gone and asked, “Who blanket my weapons?” The hunter went attractive for his weapons and activate them abaft a bush.
Then, started to go attractive for article to annihilate aback he activate a babyish aerial he approved to shoot it but I chock-full him and angry him with a braiding to a tree.
I had adored all the boscage animals. The momma aerial thanked me. Afresh I saw a acid brilliant and admired to be a animal again. Aback I woke up I was a ten year old girl. That’s how I angry into a cheetah.
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NAME: Lindy Spear
Age: 12
City of residence: Canonsburg, PA
“Next is Lindy Spear,’’ said a lady.
That was me. My affection began to exhausted like a butterfly’s wings.
Here I was, auditioning for the Broadway musical, The Wizard of Oz, in New York. I couldn’t accept I was absolutely accomplishing this! Aback I performed, I acquainted like I could do anything.
I boring aloft myself out of the bench and looked at my mom and dad.
“You got this,” said my mom.
I followed the adult aback to the room. There were 6 bodies who looked tired.
“Ok,’’ said a man who I knew was the director.
‘’Just sing ‘Over the rainbow’ for us, please.’’
I started to sing. I couldn’t accept I was absolutely accomplishing it! Aback I finished, anybody looked pleased. I smiled wide.
They gave me a calligraphy and had me apprehend for Dorothy! Acting consistently fabricated me feel able and alive!
Now this was the catchy part. They would advise me a dance, and I would accept to be able to do it.
The ball choreographer started to advise me a tap dance.
It looked cool complicated!
‘’Ready?’’ the adult asked.
‘’You got this,’’ I thought.
I did it!!!!!!!!!
I got a alarm back!
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NAME: Luella Shepard
Age: 9
Hello! My name is Luella, and I accept a abundant acquaintance alleged Amber. We accept accepted anniversary added for about a year now.
Our accord isn’t like any accustomed friendship. You see, added than in pictures, I accept never apparent Amber. I accept never absolutely talked to her either.
You ability be apprehensive how it is that you can accept a “great friend” that you accept never apparent or akin talked to? Well, let me explain. Amber and I are pen pals.
Amber lives in England, aloof alfresco of London. We accept accounting abounding belletrist to anniversary other, aggregate pictures, beatific videos, and our moms accept akin become acceptable accompany through all of this as well! I accept abstruse about her ancestors and their traditions, her accompany at school, the activities she does and so abundant more!
For active so far abroad from anniversary other, we are decidedly actual akin and the means that we are altered are not actual apparent at all.
Having a acquaintance that you feel like you apperceive so abundant about, and accept so abundant in accepted with, but accept never apparent or talked to face to face can be a bit tough.
I generally anticipate about what it would be like to hop on an aeroplane and accord Amber a abruptness visit! I account the attending on her face if I were to beating on her advanced aperture and say, “Surprise, it’s me Luella, all the way from the U.S.A!!!”
I brainstorm how abundant fun we would accept appropriate off the bat, aback we wouldn’t accept to absorb any time accepting to apperceive anniversary other! She would booty me about area she lives, assuming me and cogent me all about her country. We would adore every minute and not decay akin a additional of our abundant chance together!
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NAME: Alyssa Long
Age: 11
City of residence: Youngstown
We were walking through the dupe at Yellowstone National Park. We can see the sun animated in an aperture in the trees. Afresh we had chock-full comatose in our tracks. Standing afore us was a big animal cyclopes that stood with coriaceous blooming warty skin.
Molly gasped but I covered her aperture with my duke silencing her. The monster had already heard us. We angry and ran as fast as we could, but he had bent up to us.
“Fee, fie, foe, fum I aroma the claret of an English girl! “Yelled the giant.
We screamed.
We jumped from the giant’s clamp and ran. We activate a cavern to adumbrate in. But the cyclopes activate us and started to cry. From abaft me I heard Molly say something.
“What is wrong?” she said a little shakily.
“Everyone consistently runs abroad cerebration that I am bad!” he said in crying.
“So you’re not activity to aching us?” I say with a abrupt access of confidence.
“No!” he said assuredly starting to calm bottomward a little.
“Oh, afresh maybe we could be friends? “Molly asked the giant.
“I would like that,” said the giant.
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NAME: Lily Bailey
Age: 8
City of residence: Greenville, PA
One admirable day, I went on a airing with my best friends, Emily and Ainsley and our dogs. They spotted a butterfly and started active – affairs the leashes absolutely hard, authoritative us run, too.
We assuredly chock-full to see a sparkling ablaze advancing from a door. “Oh my,” exclaimed Ainsley. “Ruff,” barked the dogs. We went abutting and it sucked us into a absurd world.
When we arrived, I admired I had aliment and to our actual eyes we saw a barbecue of food.
“What aloof happened?” Emily asked.
“I accept no idea,” answered Ainsley. We kept walking until we noticed a ample castle.
“Should we go in?” asked Ainsley.
“Yes,” I said.
When we got closer, we saw a banderole that had “WISHING TOWN” swirled with bubble paint. I now knew area the aliment came from. It appeared aback I admired for it!
Beside the alcazar was an bugged forest. We went into the backwoods and activate a waterfall. We admired we had pond apparel and they appeared!
We played in the avalanche for a continued time. Afresh we best flowers to accomplish headbands with. Aback the afternoon was over, we went home with memories of an bugged afternoon.
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NAME: Kaleigh Williams
Age: 10
City of residence: Canfield
“What is that!” I anticipation to myself while scuba diving with my family. I noticed article bright in the ocean bottomward below, so I absitively to analysis it out.
Imagine my abruptness aback it angry out to be a burghal inhabited by merpeople! I was so excited; I activate the absent burghal of Atlantis!
All of the admirable merpeople were so nice to one another, and to me. They arrive me to appointment them so I could apprentice about their amazing world. While there, I saw that anybody got along; there were no bullies. I additionally abstruse that no one anytime got sick, or had any blazon of disability. Atlantis was a complete utopia - a absolute world!
When I asked why this was, one of the mermaids, Marina, brought me to accommodated King Triton, who was additionally absolutely nice. I asked him how they kept Atlantis so perfect. He said that love, kindness, and accepting were the keys.
Eventually, I had to surface, but I can’t delay to dive afresh and appointment the city. From now on, I will do my best to advance the three keys that I abstruse from Atlantis amid my accompany and classmates.
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NAME: Maddie Garwood
Age: 9
City of residence: Poland
Today I got a big surprise-my mom said that we were activity to Alaska! She additionally said that I could allure two of my accompany to appear forth with us.
I chose Grace and Madison, my best friends. They were both absolutely aflame and aback the day came, we larboard eagerly. We arranged warm!
When we got to Alaska, Grace asked my mom if we could explore. She said yes, so headed off! I saw a allowance in the ambit afterwards about an hour, and I ran ahead.
What I saw about fabricated me faint. Two grizzly bears stood abutting to a hasty stream. I alleged the others as cautiously as possible, and we followed them.
But aloof then, I heard article crack. I accomplished that the “ground” we were on was absolutely a arctic ice apparent or something. It crackled and afresh we fell.
Instead of ice-cold water, we activate ourselves in an icy cavern! We spotted the bears in an access to a tunnel. They charge accept led us here! We absolved into the adit and saw added tunnels aberration off into added caverns.
We were led into a baby den by the grizzly bears. It charge be their home! None of us capital to allocution in case this was a trap.
The abate grizzly buck angry about and sniffed through a box on the ground.
When it turned, it had three rings in its mouth. Anniversary one was argent with a admirable azure bean carved into the arch of a grizzly bear.
Madison gasped. We slipped them assimilate our fingers and aloof stood there.
Suddenly, I accomplished that we were ashore here, as we fell through ice downward. The big buck looked at us and afresh at our fingers while authoritative bewitched attractive movements, assuredly catastrophe with an advancement gesture.
We looked at anniversary other, and gestured advancement with our hands. A ample ice colonnade brought anniversary of us to the apparent on at a time! It turns out the rings were magical!
As we headed to the airport a few canicule later, I knew that wasn’t the aftermost time we appointment those grizzly bears!
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NAME: Cali Young
Age: 11
City of residence: Boardman
It all started May 10, 2015 aback my mom told me about it I screamed in tears because this was my aboriginal camping trip. Aback my mom said cali get your things, I affective them and went.
When I was in my car I sat in the back. I had my IPhone, IPad, and IPod, and played them all. The amateur I played were bonbon cruch, crossy road, and shopkins. Aback we finilly got there I had to go to the bath so I larboard my things in the car, aback we got aback I went to get my things they were gone!
I looked every area up, down, side, to ancillary and nothing. All my actuality gone, I can’t accept it my dad will annihilate me! So me and my mom looked everywhere for it, we said addition blanket it because they larboard this clue that was not ours, bottom prints in the mud. They were not approved bottom prints.
So my mom said what affectionate of bottom prints are they? Well my mom was acting clueless, I had to be a detective today. I put on my cerebration cap and said lets rule. So me, my mom, and my sister arrested the absent and activate for them, my mom looked about the affected site.
I started to agitation because what if I can’t acquisition them, they don’t aloof abound on copse you know. So we accomplished attractive and still we did not acquisition them. It was aphotic out and we had to go to sleep.
When I woke up I got dressed, aback I was putting on my shoes I saw article a big, big man captivation a book bag that looked like mine. So me and my sister were folowing it. Afterwards that he stopped, and me and my sister jumped on it. Afresh we took it’s affectation of. OMG it was......
It was big foot! Me and my sister affective my things and ran like the wind. Mom the actuality who my things was big foot, you guys are silly! “No” we are not lying we affirm to god. OK girls I anticipate we should go eat some breakfast. Ahh mom you don’t beneath stand. That was the best camping cruise and the goofiest trip.
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NAME: Katie Campbell
Age: 11
City of residence: Basin Milton
Vroom. A car zoomed by my house. My eyes zapped accessible from my abysmal sleep. Walking adjoin my dresser, I saw a golden, ever-so-shimmering necklace. It’s alternation was golden, with a design shaped jewel in the middle. I pulled the chaplet about my neck. Sparkles floated about me and addition minute later, I had landed collapsed on my face!! “Ouch!”
I stood up. I had the aforementioned chaplet on, but now I had a adapted strapless dress on with sparkles. I angry about and what looked like the North Pole was a behemothic bonbon factory! A able an acid a tucedo addressed me actual kindly. “What a nice day to see you here,” said the man.
“My name is Katie,” I said.
“I am Mr. Fuggmicknuggets. Bigger accepted as Fuggie.” He showed me about the factory, and I approved to break with him but article bent my eye...a awe-inspiring guy dressed in a antic clothing was burglary a box of clabber beans!
I absolved over to him to set bottomward the box at already because those candies were not his. The antic bandit refused!
I got Fuggie, and aback he arrived, the antic man said “I will accumulate burglary treats as abundant as I want.”
Fuggie went to stop him, but the clown-man acclimated his baton and he abolished in sparkles.
I afresh accomplished my purpose. I woke up a adolescent 11-year-old girl, and now I was adapted into a magical, bonbon extenuative hero. And so my adventures begin...
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NAME: Kristen Campbell
Age: 9
City of residence: Basin Milton
“Mom, attending at that Backwoods Tour! Can I amuse go?” I was on vacation, and I saw a abode with birds and alien animals.
“All appropriate honey, but amuse attending afterwards yourself,” mom said. So I accidentally absolved in. Aback I did, one additional later, I was about else...in a RAINFOREST!
“Rrrrrrr!!” went the complete of a chainsaw. I abrupt over to see a man acid bottomward a Kapok tree! “Stop!!” I shouted. “You are affliction the animals of the rainforest!”
The guy sneered. “I am not akin abutting to affliction them.”
“These animals depend on you,” I explained.
“WHAT?” he snickered and ran abroad through the trees. There were added “Rrrrrrrr-ing” sounds as I ran through the copse to adress this man. “I’m Kristen, and stop acid bottomward all the trees!!!”
“Never!” he exclaimed.
“Listen,” I begged. “These animals charge you, and if you cut bottomward all the trees, their homes will be gone!”
“Why should I stop?” he said half-heartedly.
“Because if you cut bottomward the trees, there will be no added animals left! What if you were them?”
“I-I-I ummm,” he stuttered. “I assumption so.”
“Let’s save the rainforest!!” I shouted cheerfully.
And from now on, I still appointment the rainforest abounding of copse aback I can.
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NAME: Gabriella Trobek
Age: 11
City of residence: Hubbard
My abstract chance is to go to New York City. I would appetite to go during Christmas time. I adulation to dance, so I would adulation to see the Rockettes perform.
When I accustomed I was called to be their one and alone appropriate bedfellow of the day. For actuality their appropriate guest, I got to go backstage and accommodated all the dancers. I additionally got advanced row seats to see the Rockettes perform.
My day of fun was no area abreast actuality over. Aback I adulation dancing so abundant I accustomed at the “Nutcracker Ballet” by a limosine. Afterwards the Nutcracker not alone did I get to go arcade I got to go with the rockettes.
After arcade at about every distinct store, the Rockettes took me to the American Babe Babyish Store. I got to accomplishment my amazing cruise authoritative a babyish that looked aloof like the rockettes.
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NAME: Michaela Mayne
Age: 9
City of residence: North Jackson
I was in my treehouse with my dolls. My mom calls me inside. There’s a letter for me. Central their was a necklace. I put it on it sparkled. I went aback to my treehouse. My dolls said “Hi.” I said “How can you talk?” The dolls said “Your necklace.” I can’t accept one of my best admired dreams has appear true!
I told cipher about this. My dolls and I do a lot calm like benumbed bikes, activity to the mall, and akin went on a nice vacation to Hawaii! I started to anticipate I can’t be with my dolls forever, I’m activity to get affiliated accept children! What am I activity to say to my dolls.
My dolls I had fun until one day. I was abrasion my face. My chaplet was on my neck. Oh no! My chaplet fell into the sink! I ran to my dolls no talking no moving. I had a abundant chance with my dolls but it would accept to end some day. I did plan aback I got earlier my accouchement could comedy with my dolls. Maybe they can accept an chance aloof like me!
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NAME: Hensley Nicholson
Age: 10
City of residence: Salem
I was asleep, dreaming, or maybe thinking. I wasn’t sure. I was on a beach, the wind was blowing, and oh, the aroma of close bake-apple was in the air. There are no two bigger words to call this place, amazingly beautiful.
I didn’t apperceive what bank I was on or what country. I was in, maybe Jamaica. It was unclear, but incredible. Coconuts, mangos, pineapples, bananas, bake-apple growing everywhere! I was in awe, but afresh I heard a aberrant noise, article flew appear me, I ducked, it hit a approach tree. I ran to see what it was.
Smushed adjoin the timberline was a fairy! She was not American, but Jamaican! I about fainted! In my dream at least. I consistently heard belief about fairies, but didn’t apperceive if they were friendly. I bound cut to my senses. I helped her get her wings unstuck from the palm.
Later I got to apperceive her, she was actual kind. We had a admirable time! We went on an old bout bus, it was stunning! The bogie had amazing powers, she could accomplish flowers blossom whenever she capital to! I can’t delay to see what happens next!
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NAME: Kaylynn C.
Age: 9
City of residence: Kensington
One day I was allowance my mom amount the washer aback the cloths pulled me in. The lid shut and the clothes pulled me in. The lid shut and the washer started to circuit in circles. It was aphotic and fast.
It assuredly stopped. Afresh I opened the lid. It was appealing with butterfly’s and a aisle lined with flowers I stepped out of the washer and on the path. Afresh a angel absolved to me. She told me I was activity to get two wishes while walking the path. She said to chase the aisle and there will be one box forth the way.
So I started walking the aisle and came to the box. Aback I opened the box a articulation asked me for my wishes. I said “I appetite to advice the animals and bodies who don’t accept homes”. Afresh the angel told me acceptable bye and I started spinning afresh but in the dryer this time.
When the spinning chock-full I got out and I was home. I told my ancestors I had the best chance ever.
